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Multiple-Meaning Words

A multiple-meaning word is spelled and said the same way but means different things: a bat flies at night, and you hit a ball with a bat. Context is the only clue, which is why these words are such good reading practice.

Here are 116 multiple-meaning words from past ClueBy puzzles, each with a real example sentence for every meaning. Use them as a reference, or make a printable worksheet below.

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Students read each sentence and write the missing word. Every word appears in several sentences, each time with a different meaning.

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Multiple-Meaning Words

Name: ____________________Date: __________

Write the missing word in each sentence. Each word is used more than once, with a different meaning each time.

  1. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  2. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  3. The ball is in your ________________.
  4. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  5. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  6. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  7. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  8. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  9. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  10. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  11. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  12. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  13. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  14. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  15. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  16. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  17. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  18. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  19. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  20. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  21. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  22. That must've been a ________________.
  23. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  24. Take your time. There's no ________________.

Sentences from ClueBy, Tatoeba (CC BY 2.0 FR) and Common Voice (CC0). clueby.com

Answer key

  1. hand — in cards
  2. pass — a permit
  3. court — for sport
  4. dip — to dunk
  5. dip — to sink
  6. hand — help
  7. court — of a king
  8. leaves — to go away
  9. stick — a piece of wood
  10. track — a path
  11. court — of law
  12. stick — to attach or keep to
  13. leaves — lets stay
  14. rush — to hurry
  15. track — a song
  16. track — to keep track
  17. pass — to succeed
  18. pass — to spend time
  19. hand — part of the body
  20. stick — a piece of wood
  21. leaves — of a tree
  22. rush — a thrill
  23. dip — a sauce
  24. rush — hurry

Multiple-meaning words list

Tick up to 10 words to build a worksheet with just those words.

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Frequently asked questions

What are multiple-meaning words?

Words with the same spelling and pronunciation but more than one meaning, like bark (of a dog or of a tree) or bank (for money or of a river). You can only tell which meaning is meant from the rest of the sentence.

Are multiple-meaning words the same as homonyms?

Mostly, yes. Teachers often use "multiple-meaning words" and "homonyms" for the same idea. Homophones are different: they sound alike but are spelled differently, like flour and flower.

Are the worksheets free?

Yes. Make and print as many as you like for home or classroom use. Each sheet has its own link, so you can print the same one again.

Where do the words come from?

From past ClueBy puzzles, a daily game where you sort twelve sentences by their missing word. A new puzzle every day adds four more words to this list.

Sentences from ClueBy, Tatoeba (CC BY 2.0 FR) and Common Voice (CC0). clueby.com